Create Perfect Forms with the Best Form-Building Software
Introduction
Forms are an essential part of doing business online today. From simple contact forms to complex order forms and multi-page surveys, having the right form building tool can make a huge difference in conversion rates, lead generation, and overall customer experience. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which solution is the best fit for your needs?
In this comparison, we’ll evaluate some of the top form building software and SaaS platforms available based on key criteria like usability, customization, analytics, pricing, and more. Our goal is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various tools like Google Forms, Typeform, and JotForm to help you determine the best option for creating the perfect forms for your business, whether you need simple embeddable forms or advanced enterprise-level capabilities.
As a platform for showcasing developer tools, DevHunt offers its own form building solution with a generous free plan, drag-and-drop interface, and analytics features that we’ll include in this analysis where relevant. Let’s dive in and compare the leading solutions side-by-side!
Key Criteria for Evaluation
When assessing form builders, some of the most important factors to consider include:
Usability and Ease of Use
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface to build forms visually
- Library of pre-built templates and themes to start from
- Responsive and mobile-friendly form design for any device
- Live preview mode to test forms during editing
- Conditional logic features to branch based on responses
Integrations and Connections
- Native integrations with CRMs, email, and productivity tools
- Ability to embed forms on websites with a few lines of code
- Collect submissions directly into databases
- Zapier and API options to connect 100+ apps
- Single sign-on (SSO) for secure enterprise access
Customization and Design
- Flexible layout options with drag-and-drop editor
- CSS customization to match branding and themes
- Wide selection of field types from text to media
- Media embedding for images, video, audio
- Design overrides for full control
Analytics and Data Collection
- Detailed form analytics dashboards
- Conversion tracking to optimize forms
- Export results to Excel, CSV for custom reports
- Scheduled email reports of key metrics
- Accept payments, signatures, file uploads
Pricing and Value
- Generous free plans with full features
- Premium monthly plans from $10-$50 per month
- Volume and unlimited enterprise pricing
- Scales cost-effectively with number of forms
- Discounts available for nonprofits
Support and Community
- Searchable knowledge bases and docs
- Phone, live chat, email technical support
- User forums and community for advice
- Product walkthroughs and training videos
- Regular product updates and roadmap
Top 10 Form Building Tools
With an endless number of options on the market, here are 10 of the top contenders worth considering:
Google Forms
Google Forms is a free, easy to use form builder tightly integrated with Google Workspace apps like Drive and Sheets. It's great for simple internal forms and surveys up to 10 questions and 100 responses. Analytics and formatting is very limited though.
Typeform
Typeform focuses on beautiful, engaging forms and quizzes with slick interactive design. Advanced analytics, integrations, and mobile responsiveness make it a top choice despite more limited free plan and premium pricing.
JotForm
JotForm strikes a nice balance between usability and customization with a drag-and-drop form builder and reasonably priced paid plans. Mobile apps, HIPAA compliance, and conditionals make it very versatile.
Formstack
Formstack is a robust enterprise-level form builder with tons of field types, views, and customization options. The free plan is very limited but premium plans enable powerful workflows and integrations.
Wufoo
Wufoo makes it super easy to build basic forms very quickly with a nice set of themes and templates. It lacks some advanced features but its affordable premium plan is compelling.
Formsite
Formsite is an excellent well-rounded form platform that can handle forms, surveys, payments and more right out of the box. The free plan is generous and covers most common use cases.
DevHunt Forms
DevHunt Forms offers a developer-friendly form builder with a drag-and-drop editor, analytics dashboards, and easy connections to databases, CRMs and APIs. The unlimited free plan is great for tech teams.
Cognito Forms
Cognito Forms shines with conditional logic, calculations, and strong WordPress integration. The free plan allows 100 entries/month making it good for smaller sites to start.
Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms is the most popular WordPress-specific form builder with a huge ecosystem of add-ons and integrations. It requires a paid license with no free option.
Paperform
Paperform provides an incredibly intuitive, easy-to-use form builder with great templates for getting started quickly. The free plan allows 10 forms per month.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Form Builder
With such a wide selection, it's important to think through your specific needs and priorities when choosing a form solution:
Audience and Purpose
Consider whether forms are for internal use or customer-facing to the public. What will they be used for - email signups, purchases, job applications? Complex niche uses like quizzes, research, or assessments may require more specialized tools. Highly technical users will have different needs than general consumers.
Technical Expertise
Evaluate how much time can be spent on setup and customization based on in-house expertise. Turnkey solutions like Typeform may be better for less technical teams vs developer-focused tools like Gravity Forms or DevHunt Forms. Also consider required integrations and ongoing maintenance needs.
Budget and Resources
Assess expected number of forms needed and budget available - both short and long term. Volume pricing and pay-as-you-go models can be beneficial for fluctuating usage. Look for free tiers if just testing or budget constrained. Enterprise tools can scale cost-effectively but have higher minimums.
Data and Analytics
Understand how form data will integrate with existing systems for CRM, email, analytics, etc. If conversion tracking is critical, ensure the platform offers those capabilities. Other considerations are compliance needs, payment processing, and file uploads.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Finding the right form builder involves balancing ease of use and customization based on your audience, technical needs, budget, and data requirements. DevHunt Forms is a developer-focused platform with robust analytics, conditional logic, and a generous free tier worth trying for technical teams. For beautiful responsive forms, Typeform is also highly recommended. Testing 2-3 top contenders will help identify the best fit. With the right solution, you can create high converting forms tailored to your specific business needs.